The construction industry relies heavily on the use of concrete and other hardened material made from cementitious-based components. This material typically is prepared from an admixture of mostly dry materials that is mixed with water to produce a flowable substance. The flowable substance can be formed into shapes and then cured until hardened. It this manner, hardened forms can be produced, to be used as building components, or the flowable material can be poured and cured to form a hardened surface.
Different materials in different proportions are used as admixture components depending on the physical qualities desired in the hardened material, such as strength, compression resistance, and flexibility.
Admixture components typically include a cementitious component, and may include other elements that improve the quality of the resulting hardened material or provide some ornamental value. For example, finely crushed glass can be included in the admixture to give the resulting hardened material a sheen. This is a good way to use material that is considered to be trash and would otherwise be dumped in a landfill. It would be advantageous to use other waste materials as part of the admixture, as long as the chosen material does not degrade the physical characteristics of the resulting hardened material.
Attempts have been made to use waste biomass material as an admixture component, with mixed results. Problems due to water exposure, including permeability, wicking, thaw resistance, and soaking damage are typically experienced when using hardened materials formed using such admixtures. Such biomass materials are readily available for use in admixtures, but the channels and voids present in typical biomass materials make it difficult to use in producing hardened materials that would be used in applications that would expose it to moisture. Different treatment of the biomass prior to inclusion in the admixture can result in limited success, but such treatment can be expensive and time-consuming while still resulting in an inferior hardened material product.
An admixture that includes a biomass component that can be used to produce a hardened material with satisfactory physical qualities that is simple and practical would be of great benefit to the construction industry and all industries that use such material.